Obtaining a General Visitor Visa

Length of stay permitted

With the general visitor visa you are permitted to stay in the UK for up to 6 months.

There is also an option to apply for a long-term visitor visa, but you will need to prove that it is essential for you to travel to the UK frequently
during a longer period of time. You can apply for a 1, 2, 5 or 10 year long-term visitor visa and you will be permitted to stay a length of 6 months each
trip.

Other Visa Exempt countries: You also do not need a visa for the purpose of tourism, including visiting
friends or family, and can stay in the United Kingdom for a maximum of 6 months when you are a citizen and hold a passport of one of the
following countries:

If you are from outside above mentioned countries, the general visitor visa is what you will need to visit the
United Kingdom, as a tourist (visiting for leisure) planning to go on holiday, or if you are visiting family or friends that are not permanent
residents in the UK.

The dos and don’ts

Dos

You are permitted to study a course for up to 30 days, as long as it is not your main reason for travelling to the UK

Please see
HERE for full details and restrictions on permitted courses

Don’ts

You are not allowed:

- to apply for
public funds during your stay- to register a civil partnership, marry or give notice of a marriage or civil partnership- to get
private medical care- to perform unpaid or paid work during your visit
- to live in the UK for long periods of time by applying for frequent visa and visits

Length of time for application

It should take no longer than 3 weeks for you to get a decision on you visa. However, you are permitted to apply for this
visa up to 3 months prior to your scheduled travel date.

Please check HERE for how long it may take to process a visa in your country.

Documents needed

When applying you’ll need:

- 2
passport sized photos
- a valid travel document (passport or other travel ID)- an address or details of where you plan to live during your stay, along with a
travel itinerary- proof that you are able to financially support yourself during your trip (bank statements, payslips etc.)

Please note: You will need a blank page in your passport for the visa to be added. Also, if the documents you are
supplying are not in English or Welsh you need to get a certified translation
of these.

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